Military Branch Museum

The Military Museum, a branch of the Tennessee State Museum, is located in the War Memorial Building. The entrance is on the left side of the building. Exhibits deal with America’s overseas conflicts, beginning with the Spanish-American War in 1898 and ending with Viet Nam War.

The Military Branch is free and is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday through Saturday. Closed Sundays and Mondays.

The exhibits look at the beginnings of each war, major battles, and the outcomes. Included is a deck gun from the U.S.S. Nashville, which fired the first shot of the Spanish-American War. The exhibit on World War I, features weaponry, personal military equipment and other materials affirming Tennessee's involvement in “the war to end all wars.”

Tennessee’s most famous soldier, Alvin C. York, is highlighted in a display including his uniform and decorations. Exhibits on World War II show propaganda posters, uniforms, a soldier’s belongings, weaponry, and General Dwight Eisenhower’s jacket. On the plaza area, outside the museum, are memorials to Tennessee soldiers who died in World War I, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.

Important artifacts include:

Three Congressional Medals of Honor given to Tennesseans, including Sgt. Alvin York;

Pistol captured by York in World War I;

Deck gun of the U.S.S. Nashville, which fired first shot of the Spanish-American War;

General Eisenhower’s "Ike" jacket; and

Original teletype from General George Marshall regarding death of President Franklin Roosevelt.

In the Changing Gallery Remembering the World War I Doughboy: The History of Tennessee’s War Memorial.
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